Thursday, 11 January 2018

Reading in 2017

2017 was quite the year. Anyone who is reading this presumably understands, as you sit dazed and confused at how we, as a species, managed to survive such an aggressive behemoth made of 365 days. Despite 2017 raking it's talons across my soul and causing emotional lacerations of some magnitude at times, it was not without it's positives. I was raised under several different roofs, each sharing the singular idea that you should always try to see the positive things, no matter how bad things may seem. So, in 2017, my positives are the love of my life and I reconciling our differences and becoming a couple once more, my son is growing into a wonderful creature known as a toddler and I still love and am loved by my family.

So in the spirit of that previous message, here is a completely unrelated list of books I read in 2017. This list was inspired by some of my Facebook friends who posted lists of books they read in 2016. At the time I thought to myself, I could trounce that. However this list appears to be somewhat smaller than some of theirs. Though it doesn't take into account the fact that The Stand, is an enormous undertaking and should count as at least twelve books.

1. Slade House- David Mitchell

2. Thin Air- Michelle Paver

3. Superman (Rebirth) Vol.1- Tomasi and Gleason

4. The Omega Men- King and Bagenda

5. The Losers, Book 1- Diggle and Jock

6. Low Vol.1-Remender and Tocchini

7. The Stand- Stephen King

8. Monstress Vol.1- Liu and Takada

9. Ack-Ack Macaque- Gareth. L. Powell

10. The Island of Dr. Moreau- H.G. Wells

11. Hive Monkey- Gareth L. Powell

12. Hellboy Vol.6-Strange Places- Mike Mignola

13. Saga of the Swamp Thing Vol.1- Moore, Bissette and Totleben

14. Saga of the Swamp Thing Vol.2- Moore, Bissette and Totleben

15. American Vampire Vol. 8- Snyder and Albuquerque

16. Power Rangers Vol.1- Higgins and Prasetya

17. The Essex Serpent- Sarah Perry

18. The Midwich Cuckoos- John Wyndham

19. Thinking about it only makes it worse- David Mitchell

20. The Walking Dead Vol. 1- Kirkman, Adlard and Moore

21. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy- Douglas Adams

22. Restuarant at the end of the Universe- Douglas Adams

Now, you may well notice there are a few graphic novels, collections, comics or; funny books if you will. There may be some of you who are in uproar.

"How dare you include such feckless frivolities in this list? You absolute fiend, I'm going to the garden now to punch a bag of mince."

Please, don't feel the need to punish harmless meat. You're entitled to your opinion as I am entitled to mine. But you merely have to look at a comic to appreciate the hive mind that has concocted such a work. The positive collaboration between the intellect of many to make something special.They are pieces of literature. Literature that works in tandem with art to take both disciplines to higher levels. It speaks volumes that comics have won 'real' literature awards. Do yourself a favour and soak up some volumes, or even single issues, sometime if you do feel this way.

Speaking for which, this list does not account for the countless single issues of comics I have absorbed this year. From new series that have piqued my interest to my continuing pursuit of classic ongoing series, I have read a lot. I feel that I will need to do a brief review of the comics that I enjoyed last year.

Anyway, that just about completes this little post. 2017 was bleak this blog for many reasons. Reasons that will become apparent as I make a much stronger effort in 2018. Here's to the new year, and more reading.